


No Rules in the Madness

by batpan



Category: Gotham City Garage (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Denial of Feelings, Dystopia, Feelings, Fluff and Angst, GCG, Gotham City Garage - Freeform, Jason is an Asshole, M/M, jaydick
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-07 09:25:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13431792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batpan/pseuds/batpan
Summary: Desperate times call for desperate measures. The Garage needs help, and The Red Hood M.C. might be the only chance they have at the moment.Hopefully Nightwing can convince them of this.





	No Rules in the Madness

**Author's Note:**

> I'm really enjoying the Gotham City Garage comics, especially the appearances by my favorite batboys. It was only a matter of time before I got to writing a fic of them set in this universe. Here is to hoping they show up more in future comics! 
> 
> Also- you don't really need to have read the GCG comics to understand what's going on. I tried to keep the plot of this focused on Dick and Jason. All you need to know is that this is set in a dystopian society, and everyone rides motorcycles around in the desert. Also Dick is extra and wears all leather with no shirt ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ Enjoy!

Things looked pretty grim for Gotham City Garage. Of course, Dick figured, life in general had been grim for a long time, and maybe this wasn’t really anything new. OK… so maybe Luthor actively coming after the garage was a big deal. Things were relatively peaceful before then. Still dangerous but at least before, the danger was something you had to ride into.

Luthor and his forces were a major threat, and one that wouldn’t easily be dealt with. Especially with the rather small rag-tag team the garage had managed to scrounge together. To be completely honest, they didn’t stand a chance.

The sane part of Dick’s brain screamed at him, demanded why on earth he was even here. Every man for themselves, right? He’d been screwed over too many times to forget that particular ideal. And he’d be screwed over again, that’s just how the world worked now. But, despite it all, he couldn’t seem to make himself leave. Over the past few years, the garage had become the closest thing to a home he had. It was one of the only places he kept coming back to. There was just something about these people he felt drawn to.

Dick stood back, leaned up against the bar with his arms crossed, as he watched Natasha Irons pace. He couldn’t blame her. Not many people had come back yet with more help. He couldn’t blame them either. It was a tough situation.

Barbara Gordon sat in one of the stools beside him, quietly observing Irons as well. Dick liked Barbara. How could he not? It was hard not to feel an instant connection to someone who’d been used and manipulated by the exact same person. They had a fair amount in common. She probably wouldn’t admit it aloud, but Dick was pretty certain she agreed on that much.

When Irons finally stopped pacing, she looked up at the ceiling and gave a defeated sigh.

“I’m not sure what else to do,” she said, to no one in particular.

“We still have time,” Barbara responded. The sentiment was nice, but it was hard to hold onto any hope when the garage was literally falling apart from the damage it sustained from attacks.

As if on cue, a light that had barely been hanging on by a thread, crashed down to the ground on the other end of the room.

Dick winced.

“No, we don’t,” Irons said, as her hand clenched into a fist.

Barbara looked over at Dick then, silently asking for help.

Dick sighed. “I’m sure the others are on their way now, with more help,” he said, keeping his arms crossed over his bare chest. He didn’t sound very convincing, but he did hear the sound of approaching bikes.

Barbara jabbed him in the arm with her elbow, hard.

Irons ignores them anyway. “I can’t believe I’m a bout to say this but…” she bit her lip, and closed her eyes, before taking a steadying breath.

She opened her eyes, and they shined with a steely gleam of determination. “We need the Red Hoods.”

Barbara, having not yet encountered the Hoods, did not seem affected by the suggestion.

“What the hell did you just say?” a voice demanded then, a dramatic response that Iron’s statement truly deserved. It was Barda, who stood angrily in the doorway. “You can’t be serious, the Hoods? Hell no.”

“Trust me, I don’t like it either, but we don’t have much of a choice anymore. The attacks are getting worse,” Irons said, with crossed arms.

“Alright, fine. We ask the Hoods for help, but why would they help us? They only care about themselves, and weapons. They’re just as much an enemy as Luthor,” Barda argued back, as she walked over.

“Maybe, but they’re also an enemy of Luthor, and as they say, ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend’,” Irons said, her words forced, and less than thrilled.

“Yeah, except for when the enemy of the enemy is also the enemy! Natasha, this is dangerous,” Barda said, a clear warning in her voice.

“Look around! We’re in danger every second here, and its taking an awful long time for the others to come back. I’m not feeling very optimistic here. I don’t want to work with those scumbags, but they might be the only chance we’ve got. We could desperately use the manpower and their weapons.”

Since the moment the Hoods were first brought up, Dick was on edge. And he was too distracted to notice Barbara watching, and studying him.

“How would we even convince them to help us? I don’t think fighting Luthor together would be enough, they’re going to want something from us. I’m not sure we can pay that price,” Barda said.

“Got something to say, _Robin_? You’re looking a little antsy,” Barbara said, and Dick immediately glared at her.

“It’s Nightwing,” He grumbled, as he straightened up. When would people get the memo?

Well, if he was going to help them out, he certainly could offer them more than just standing there and being pretty. It was time to stop running.

“Anyways… leave the Hoods to me. I think I can convince them to help,” he said.

All eyes landed on him and… they didn’t exactly look convinced.

“How?” Irons asked, obviously skeptical.

Dick shifted uncomfortably. “Doesn’t matter… either you want my help or not. I’m only offering once.” He might have decided to help, but that didn’t mean they needed to know everything.

“Fine,” Irons agreed, easily enough. “Barda would you want to go with him—”

“No!” Dick said quickly. When they all gave him odd looks, he cleared his throat. “I need to do this alone. Besides, Barda will be more useful here, in case there’s another attack. Which you know is likely to happen again, at the rate they’ve been happening.”

“If you’re sure,” Irons said, not sounding sure herself.

“I’ve got this,” Dick said, throwing on his mask of pure bravado.

Before he could change his mind, he was instantly on the move. He filled his bike up, climbed on, and took off into the desert.

This was going to suck.

***

Dick didn’t fight back when two of the Hoods grabbed him by the arms and dragged him into their base. He walked calmly between the men, and ignored the aggressive looks sent his way by the loitering members as they passed them by.

They stopped in front of a closed door, and Dick remained perfectly still. One of them reached forward and knocked twice.

“Come in,” A familiar voice answered back.

Dick had to hand it to him, Jason was good. The men shoved Dick into his office, and he maintained a perfectly neutral expression. What a good actor the man was. Maybe in another life, he could have made a career out of it. He certainly had the looks for it.

Jason stared Dick down for a moment, then looked at his men. “Leave us,” he ordered. They did as told, closing the door behind them. Then it was time for the fun.

Dick knew it was coming, had braced himself for it even, but it still hurt. Jason charged at him, shoved him against the wall and wrapped a large hand around his throat.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

Of course, Jason was pissed. Dick knew the man would be.

“We had a deal, Grayson,” Jason growled out, pressing his fingers tighter against Dick’s skin, and making it incredibly difficult to breathe. Dick was most definitely not turned on then either, nope, no way.

“You better have a damn good reason for showing up here,” Jason continued, his hand dropping from Dick’s throat, presumably to let him explain himself.

Dick rubbed at his neck, and sucked in a fresh breath of air before speaking. “What?” he asked, voice roughened. “You mean you didn’t miss _me_ as much as I missed _you_?”

Dick should have known better, but he just couldn’t help himself. His constant urge to antagonize others was going to get him killed one day.

“I don’t care how good of a lay you are Grayson,” Jason seethed in a lower voice, so his men could not hear on the other side. “We had a deal, and you broke it. I don’t take kindly to those who break deals with me. Most of them end up dead for it.”

“You won’t kill me,” Dick said, certain.

“Don’t sound so sure of yourself, pretty boy. You’re hanging from a thin strand right now,” Jason warned.

“That’s alright, I don’t mind falling,” Dick said, taking a step closer to Jason.

“Holy hell,” Jason groaned. “Shut up.”

“I thought you loved my chattiness,” Dick said with a grin.

 “Not when you’ve pissed me the fuck off. Now, tell me why you’re here, and don’t avoid the question. I want answers. Now,” Jason demanded.

“Fine,” Dick sighed. “I’m here to ask for the Red Hoods’ help.”

Jason scoffed, and crossed his arms. “Help with what?”

“Luthor has been sending out attacks against the Gotham City Garage.”

“No. No way in hell,” Jason said instantly, not seeming to give the idea any thought at all.

“Jason—” Dick tried, but was cut off.

“No! I am not having my men risk their lives for the Gotham City Garage. We don’t affiliate ourselves with them, and nine times out of ten, we’re fighting them for supplies.”

“But—”

“Stop!” Jason yelled, the sound full of anger.

Dick shut his mouth, and they stared each other down for a few silent moments. Dick took the opportunity to glance around the office. It was surprisingly tidy.

Finally, Jason sighed.

“Why do you even care? You don’t owe them anything either, Dick.”

“It feels like the right thing to do,” Dick responded, quietly.

“Since when do you care about the right thing, huh?” Jason asked.

“I’ve always cared about the right thing. Just, sometimes had to avoid doing the right thing to survive,” Dick shrugged, licking his lips.

“If there were ever a good time to do just that, then this is it Dick. If the GCG is desperate enough to ask for my help, then their odds of surviving Luthor’s wrath must be dangerously slim. You got a death wish all of a sudden?”

“No,” Dick muttered.

“Well it sure seems like it. First you show up here when you know damn well you’re not supposed to, and now you’re asking my help for a crusade you yourself shouldn’t be apart of? Why the hell did they send _you_ anyway? Did you…” Jason reached out and grabbed the lapels of Dick’s jacket, tugging him forward, and getting in his face. “Did you fucking tell them about us?”

Dick shoved him away. “No. I didn’t tell them anything, just that _I_ might be able to convince you.”

“Fat fucking chance,” Jason sneered.

_Ouch._

“You’re being difficult,” Dick pushed on, choosing to ignore the blow. “Will you at least give me a chance to try?”

Jason glanced over Dick’s shoulder to look at the door, as if expecting that his men were going to bust it open at any moment.

“Alright, Dick,” Jason said, then made a wide gesture with his arms. “Try and convince me.”

Dick nodded, and straightened his stance. It was strange to be so serious around Jason. Instinctively he wanted to start up more banter, maybe even tease the other man a little. But, that was not what Dick was there for, and it certainly wouldn’t help him make a case to gain Jason’s help. This was a serious matter, and the garage was counting on him.

“Luthor is a common enemy. You don’t like him either, he’s a pain in everyone’s side. A very dangerous pain. And well…” Dick reached up to run a hand through his hair, an almost sheepish gesture. “I shouldn’t be making promises for other people, but… say we all team up, and beat Luthor. Think of all those weapons and toys Luthor probably has hidden away in the Garden. I’m sure you can make an agreement on getting your pick.”

Jason was quiet, as he stared Dick down. His face was unreadable, and Dick didn’t know what to think. Would Jason agree? Did Dick manage to convince him? Or was this a complete and utter waste of time?

“Wow,” Jason said finally, nodding his head slowly. “I wasn’t really expecting you to go the logical route here.”

Dick was confused. What else was… And then it clicked. Jason watching the door…

“Are you fucking serious?” Dick demanded, incredulous. “What, you thought I was going to try and sway you by seduction?!”

Jason simply shrugged in response, and Dick was _furious_.

“You really didn’t think I could literally talk you into this? You thought I would just get down on my knees and hope for the best? Seriously, Jason?”

“Yeah, that’s what I kind of thought would happen,” Jason said.

Dick felt nauseas.

“And would that have worked?” he asked quietly.

Jason grinned, either oblivious or completely uncaring of Dick’s shift in mood. “Nope, but it would have been more fun, I’m sure.”

“Is that all you think I’m good for, then? A good fuck?” Dick asked, hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“Well, its certainly all you have to offer that’s useful to me.”

“Fuck you,” Dick snapped, wanting to punch Jason right in his annoyingly handsome face.

“Sure, and then we’d both get something out of this visit you decided to make,” Jason said, with a cruel smile.

“No,” Dick said, as numbness began to set in. “I definitely came all this way for nothing. I don’t know why I bothered.”

“Yeah, me either,” Jason said, stepping closer into Dick’s space. “You broke—”

Dick cut him off, giving Jason’s chest a shove. “Yes, I know. I broke the fucking deal. Well guess what? It doesn’t even matter anymore. I’m done with you, Jason Todd. I’m done with you, and whatever the hell I thought was going on between us.”

Jason grabbed Dick’s wrist on the arm he used to shove him. “Whatever is going on between us? It’s just sex, Dick. It was only ever supposed to be just sex,” he argued.

“Like I said, it doesn’t matter anymore,” Dick said, as he yanked his arm back.

“Yeah, you’re right,” Jason said, taking a step back. “You’re about to get yourself killed anyways.”

“Like you even care,” Dick sneered. He turned and headed for the door. He stopped in front of it, with his hand resting on the door handle, and turned to look over his shoulder at Jason.

“Have a nice life,” he muttered, then opened the door and left, slamming it shut behind him.

***

It was true that Dick and Jason started their quote unquote tryst on the basis of strictly sex, with absolutely no feelings involved. It was also supposed to be strictly happenstance, but well, after the first few coincidental meetings, they had begun to purposely seek one another out. That was the first rule broken, by both. Neither of them had ever mentioned it. Dick was also never ever supposed to go to the Red Hood M.C. base, the second rule he broke, when he pointlessly showed up asking for Jason’s help a few days prior.

Dick wasn’t sure when exactly he broke the no feelings rule, though. Or maybe he did. Like everything else, it didn’t matter anymore.

He wanted to hate Jason, wanted to forget him and move on, focus all his energy on helping the GCG figure out how to stop Luthor. But when he was alone, Jason was all he could think about. And he was hurt.

Dick should have known going in that it would be a bad idea. Dick tended to catch feelings too easily, it was why he tried to stick to one-night stands. And it worked for him. Until he met Jason.

“Hey, Grayson! What the hell?”

Dick sat up in the booth he’d been lounging in, and looked over at Irons, who had the one to call him out.

“What?” He asked. It wasn’t like he had been doing anything important, other than wallowing in self-pity.

“I thought you said the Hoods said they wouldn’t be helping us?” Irons asked, hands on her hips.

He sat up even more. “Uh… yeah?”

“Then why the hell are they on their way over here right now?”

“Wait, what?” Dick asked, practically throwing himself out of the booth.

And sure enough, a gang of bikers, in a sea of red could be seen in the distance. They were headed straight for the garage, kicking up clouds of dust in their wake. The group wasn’t large enough to be the full force of the Hoods, but there were still enough to be a threat.

Dick followed Irons outside, to join the rest of the GCG crew that had been hanging around. Most of them looked prepared for a fight. And Dick couldn’t blame them. He had told them the Hoods were unwilling to help, this could very well be a threat. If they truly were looking to pick a fight, Dick hoped it wasn’t his fault.

Jason was at the head of the pack, like a true leader. He was the first to park his bike, and the first to dismount. The rest of his crew stood in place behind him.

Jason removed his helmet, and headed straight for Irons, and consequently Dick. However, he ignored Dick completely, who’s heart was pounding rapidly in his chest.

Irons stood just as strong as her name, and looked at Jason with a cool and neutral expression.

“Heard you needed some help,” Jason said, stopping just a few feet away. “Must be pretty dire if you’re asking us.”

“Trust me,” Irons said. “We wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t urgent.”

“Then let’s negotiate.” Jason said.

Irons nodded firmly, and gestured for Jason to follow her into the garage.

“Huh,” Barbara said, strolling over to Dick, as the two disappeared inside. “Guess you were more convincing than you thought,” she said, punching him lightly in the arm.

“Yeah,” Dick said, voice sounding distant. “I guess so.”

***

The negotiations had been made hours ago, leaving Jason and a few of his men to begin to strategize with Irons her GCG sisters. With both parties seemingly satisfied, Jason sent half of his men back to their base to gather even more.

Dick stayed away, and kept to himself, unsure of what to make of the situation. He almost thought of taking off, but decided against it, knowing how suspicious it would look. Besides, he still wanted to help in any way he could.

The sun had gone down about an hour ago, leaving the sky bright and full of stars. It had also left a chill in the air, and Dick had gone as far as to zip his jacket up and burrow into it as much as possible. He sat in the sand, a few feet away from his bike, just staring up at the stars.

Dick could hear approaching footsteps, and the rustle of clothing, but didn’t bother to look. He certainly didn’t expect the feeling of something heavy falling over his shoulders, though.

“You looked cold,” Jason, sans a jacket, said as he plopped down into the cooled sand beside Dick.

Dick could only look at him, stunned by the action.

“Thank you,” he said, as a few moments of silence passed. He pulled the jacket tighter around his shoulders, relishing the warmth leftover Jason’s own body heat.

“Look,” Jason began, as he scratched nervously at a stubbled cheek. “I’m sorry for being such an asshole.”

“You’re always an asshole,” Dick said, with no real heat behind the words.

“Yeah, but this time I really fucked up.”

“Yeah,” Dick agreed. “You did.”

They lapsed into more silence, until Dick couldn’t keep in the question that’d been bothering him since Jason and his gang had shown up earlier.

“What made you change your mind? Was it my super logical reasoning about the weapons?” The question came out more teasing than Dick probably should have let it, and okay, he was still a little mad, but Jason did apologize. So that was something.

Jason chuckled, and gave Dick a smile that had his stomach tying itself into knots.

“You certainly have a way with words, Grayson, I’ll give you that. But uh… no,” Jason shifted nervously, smile faltering. “You want the real answer?”

“Yes,” Dick said.

“God,” Jason groaned, burying his face in his hands. “This is going to sounds so cheesy and ridiculous.”

“Well now I _have_ to hear it,” Dick insisted, leaning over to nudge Jason with his elbow.

Jason looked up at him, and sighed. “I um, I… I kept thinking about you dying, and how much I really didn’t want that, especially with how we left things.”

Dick’s throat dried up, and all he could seem to do was stare at Jason.

“The weapons would be nice, and it was definitely the right incentive to get the rest of the M.C. on board but… in the end, all I really care about is you, Dick,” Jason finished, in a voice softer than Dick had ever heard it before.

Dick surged forward, toppling Jason and pinning him against the sand. “Do you mean that?” he asked in a whisper, looking down at Jason’s face.

Jason nodded, and settled his hands against Dick’s back. “Yeah, unfortunately I do.”

Dick laughed, unable to help himself. God, what a Jason thing to say at a time like that. But, that was what assured Dick that it was true.

He didn’t have the right words to say in the moment, so he did they only thing he could think of, and leaned down to brush his lips against Jason’s. Jason responded immediately, pushing in closer to seal their lips more firmly together.

Before the kiss could go any further, Jason pulled away with a hum. Dick pouted, disappointed.

The expression only made Jason smile, and reach up to caress Dick’s face. He was being incredibly gentle, and Dick wanted desperately to see more of this side of him in the future. Apparently, Jason had the same idea.

“When this whole mess is over, and you and I make it out alive, because we _will_ … I wanna start over with you. I’m sick of hiding and I uh, I really care about you. I wanna do this right,” Jason said, practically struggling to get the words out.

Dick leaned closer into Jason’s touch, and smiled down at the man. “I’d like that.”

“Good,” Jason said quietly, staring back at Dick with a look that Dick wanted to remember for the rest of his life.

“For now, though…” Dick trailed off, closing the distance between them once more.

For now, he just wanted this, he thought, as they traded languid kisses, under the starry night sky. He wanted to revel in this moment, because even with Jason’s certainty that they would make it, there was always that risk looming over them that they wouldn’t.

For now, Dick wanted this, and to hold onto the hope of a happy ending on the other side of the madness around them.


End file.
